July 2021

This summer, Bolton School has been shortlisted for a number of awards! In the Independent School Parents’ School of the Year Awards, Bolton School has been shortlisted in no less than three categories: Social Mobility; Performing Arts; and, for the Junior Girls' Oracy Project, Outstanding New Initiative. In addition, at the UK Social Mobility Awards 2021, Bolton School has been shortlisted in the School/College of the Year category.

Old Boy Adam Crook has arranged a transformational donation of £100,000 to the bursary fund through the Goldman Sachs Gives Fund: the money will provide four new Sixth Form bursaries to Boys' Division students from September 2021 and for the following three years. 

The Junior Girls' '(S)miles for Malawi' campaign aims to raise £50,000 to build a school for street kids in Malawi. In just one term, they have already raised 10% of their target through sponsored challenges! If you would like to support this cause, please donate on the JustGiving page.

Watch a short video about why the Junior Girls are raising money for this important cause, and their Summer Concert dance to 'Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)' on Bolton School TV or below:

Just like the Bookers, the Bolton Children's Fiction Award had not one but two winners this year! The shortlist was carried over from 2020 to allow the Award to continue, as the usual voting and announcement could not be held last summer. Bolton School's librarians were delighted to announce that the 2020/21 winner were 'Clownfish' by Alan Durant and 'The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle' by Victoria Williamson. 

This summer saw the return of live, in-person performance for actors in the Boys' Division! An open-air production of A Midsummer Night's Dream took place at the Anderton Centre, with boys in Years 7-9 working alongside pupils from Sharples School and the Octagon Theatre's Creative Engagement Team. 

In further Shakespearean news, three Year 10 students in the Girls' Division took part in the national Final of the English Speaking Union's Performing Shakespeare competition. Safa Karin won the sole runner up award, while Charlie Lowe and Lola Rigby were commended by the judges for their performances.

Prizegiving in the Boys' Division was a hybrid affair this year: a limited live audience of parents joined their sons in the Great Hall, while the occasion was also made available to the wider community via Zoom. The whole event can be watched again via the following links: Part 1 & Part 2.

Congratulations to Rosalyn Harper, who has won this year's Childnet Film Competition! Her entertaining and educational short film 'Mission Fake News' was awarded the top spot and impressed the judges: six key figures from the film industry.

This summer marked the end of an era for children in the Butterflies Room: in September, they will leave Bolton School Nursery behind! They marked the occasion with an Alice in Wonderland themed Leavers' Party.

A long-standing cricketing tradition returned to the Bolton School Levels this summer. The Bolton School First Eleven cricketers faced the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team in a friendly match which was also one of the first opportunities for alumni to visit school since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Two Girls' Division Sixth Form students won first and second place in the national YPO Art Competition! Congratulations to Muryum Binte Fahad, who was the overall winner, and Georgia Barnes, who took the second prize.

Pupils in Year 2 at Beech House, Bolton School's Infant department, have been learning how to be Climate Heroes! This formed part of their 'Superheroes' topic and, as well as learning about water conservation, recycling and electricity, they made a recycled art project to send to Blue Peter.

Young runner Elena Bartalotta in Year 9 is currently fifth in the UK at the Under 15 Women's 800m! Earlier this year she was ranked second in Great Britain, and has enjoyed much success since she started her running career when she was 8 years old. 

The Boys' Division's pastoral curriculum has gained national exposure this term. Pupils and teachers have shared elements of the pastoral curriculum on BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme and on ITV's Tonight programme.

A group of Year 2 pupils at Beech House are well on their way to becoming the next generation of football stars! The team, which came together in Reception, has been training ever since to develop skills ready for progression into the Junior School.

Young water polo player Harriet Dickens was a member of the victorious City of Manchester Senior Women's team who were named British Champions early in July. Later in the month, she was selected to represent Great Britain, joining the Under 17 team for the LEN Women’s European Junior Water Polo Championships in Croatia. 

It was panto time for children in the Butterflies Room at Bolton School Nursery as they enjoyed a special production of Cinderella in the Beech House hall.

There was a topical focus in the latest edition of the Girls' Division student-written newspaper. The View covered topics related to Covid, sustainability and the environment, and more! Download and read now.

The Tweenies at Bolton School Nursery had fun with their very own mini-Olympics for Sports Day!